Cooperation is the key

It was a small gesture, but a welcome one nonetheless, on the part of those who participated in a procession at the historic Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to express their solidarity with the people of Pakistan, who are suffering under the scourge of terrorism. It is a coincidence that thousands of people demonstrated on the same day along The Mall in Lahore, telling terrorists to back off.

In both countries, the message was that people would not allow bombs and bullets to defeat freedom and fraternity. With no arms and no security, the protesters made it clear that people united for peace is a far bigger force than all the gun-carrying fundamentalists put together.

Both countries know that the battle between terrorism and peace may be a long one. The loss may be enormous. But there is no doubting the victory of those who leave the comfort of their homes and take to the streets to defend their right to live without fear.

They want to build an environment where children can play without their parents worrying about them, where the elderly can go about their business in confidence and where every man can command respect in the moment when he bows before God, whatever his belief.

Unfortunately, neither New Delhi nor Islamabad are properly prepared to fight terrorism. They are not even on speaking terms, much less anywhere near planning joint action. The diplomatic tussle between the two governments is of little significance when the people they represent have begun to feel as if they are on their own.

What happened in Mumbai a few months ago and what continues to occur in Pakistan shows that the battle against the terrorists is yet to be joined. There is no evidence of a strategy to exterminate terrorism.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has a point when he says that since the Pakistan government is not doing enough to bring the perpetrators of the terror in Mumbai to justice, there is no point in resuming the dialogue with Islamabad. Pakistan, in turn, has responded by saying that it will not agree to any pre-conditions. The simple fact is that neither country seems to appreciate the severity of the danger posed by the terrorists.

While Islamabad gave birth to the Taliban in the interest of 'strategic depth' in Afghanistan, the monster has turned on the master, and is killing Pakistanis by the dozen. Blaming Islamabad would be of little help to New Delhi. By reaching within six kilometres of the Wagah border, the Taliban has sent a warning to India that they are not a distant threat. Kashmir has already reported the entry of Taliban through Gurez in the north of the state and the Indian army has verified that some infiltration has already taken place.

The Taliban seems to have a well thought-out plan to undo both India and Pakistan. In India, the threat is to its secular structure. In Pakistan, the Taliban wants society to return to a medieval way of living and thinking. Armed with firearms and fanaticism, the Taliban are killing all who differ with them or get in their way.

Both New Delhi and Islamabad should realise that their hostility is only helping the Taliban and weakening the forces that believe in democracy and the rule of law. The more the two countries drift apart, the more opportunities fundamentalists will have to spread their message of hatred and extremism.

India should be able to appreciate the danger to a greater extent than Pakistan, because the former has been a stable democratic country for more than six decades. Unfortunately, when it comes to Pakistan, India is not always that forthcoming. By way of a small example, New Delhi has recently stopped officials in the Pakistan High Commission from travelling to nearby Gurgaon or Noida to play golf - as if the very idea of contact is reprehensible.

It is perhaps too much to ask the two nations to wipe the slate clean. But can't they cobble together a plan to confront the Taliban? New Delhi should give a unilateral undertaking to keep the eastern border, along with Kashmir, quiet so as to enable the Pakistani forces to fight on the western front, adjoining Afghanistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

The gaping wounds of the Mumbai terror attacks will take time to heal. In light of this fact, the Pakistan government should be seen to be doing everything possible to punish the perpetrators. But while that process continues, the two countries should join hands to fight terrorism.

The attitude of both countries has to undergo a sea change. India has to learn how to live with Pakistan, which genuinely fears that its more powerful neighbour will one day gobble it up.

Kuldip Nayar is a former Indian high commissioner to the UK and a former Rajya Sabha member.